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Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL), Ahafo Mine, has distributed 73 single solar lamps to pupils, students and teachers of Dokyikrom Basic School near Kenyasi in the Asutifi District of Brong-Ahafo Region. The lamps to help beneficiaries in their evening studies were part of a total of 1,250 Excel Renewable Energy Solar Lamps purchased by the Company to be distributed to pupils and students from selected upper primary and Junior High Schools (JHS) in five schools in its operational area. Speaking at the official launch of the programme at a meeting attended by representatives from Asutifi District Assembly and members of the community, Mr. Paul Sowley, General Manager of Environment and Social Responsibility (ESR) of Newmont explained the gesture was in line with the Company�s value of �developing our people in pursuit of excellence�. Mr. Sowley added the donation worth US$25,000 �is Newmont�s support to children living in communities around the Company�s Water Storage Facility (WSF) and Resettlement Communities without electricity so that they can conveniently do their evening studies�. He said other beneficiary school communities lamps were Yaw-Wusukrom, Ntotroso, Ola and Ntotroso Resettlements, stressing pupils and students from beneficiary communities already connected to the national power grid could use the lamps during nights when there were power cuts to study. The ESR General Manager expressed the hope the supply of the solar lamps would contribute significantly to improvement in educational standards of students and pupils. Mr. Sowley cautioned parents of beneficiary children in communities yet to be connected to the national grid to stay clear with the lamps and allow the school children to use them for their studies, the main idea of Newmont�s distribution of the lamps. Mr. Eric Adom Frempah, Asutifi District Planning Officer, who represented the District Chief Executive (DCE), thanked the management of Newmont for showing concern to the plight of schools in communities without electricity and urged beneficiary pupils and students to make proper use of the lamps. Mr. Sowley formally presented the lamps to the Headmaster of the school, Mr. Samuel Adjei-Poku, who, assisted by some NGGL Volunteers distributed to 60 selected pupils and 13 teachers of the school. Miss Rhoda Appiah, a beneficiary form three student of the school, on behalf of her colleagues thanked Newmont for the donation, saying the lamps would contribute greatly to their studies during the night. Nana Kwadwo Kyei-Bonsu, chief of the town, who chaired the programme expressed appreciation to the Company and advised the recipients to make appropriate use of the lamps to achieve maximum benefit. He complained the community was without good drinking water and appealed to Newmont to assist them in that regard. Later the head-teacher of the school Mr. Samuel Adjei-Opoku appealed to government to include the school, with a population of 265, in the School-Feeding Programme. He said the school lacked computer facilities, stressing: �We are in the computer age and provision of such amenities will expose the children not only to the intricacies of the devise, but also help them to keep abreast with the world of Information Communication and Technology (ICT)�.